Fly-trap.



D. D. BOLICK.

FLY TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED 001.17, 1911.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

2 Z l 2 Z M lnvenl r Witnesses UNTTED STATEE PATENT QTTTQE.

DAVID D. BOLICK, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO T. H.HASSEY,-OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FLY-TRAP.

norneii.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID D. BOLIOK, a citizen of the United States,residing at T0- peka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fly-Traps, of which thefollowing is a specification.

It is the object of my invention to provide a fly trap that is of alarge size, of all metal, simple and economical in manufacture, and thatis durable, strong, and capable in every way of withstanding the use andabuse when placed out of doors, in the yard, in the field, upon theside-walk, or elsewhere.

It is a further object of my invention to construct the fly trap in sucha way that it can be made in parts in the factory, and shipped inknocked-down condition, and then set up by any person with the simpletools that are always available, such as a screw-driver.

To attain these objects, my invention comprises top and bottom sheetmetal plates, a wire cloth in cylindrical form placed upon the plates,and a series of protecting wires on the outside of the wire cloth.

It further consists of the several. details of construction, and theparts, improvements, and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification. andin the description of the drawings, 1 have shown my invention in itspreferred form, and have shown what I deem to be the best mode ofapplying the principles thereof; but, within the scope of the appendedclaims, there may be changes in form, proportions, and ma terials, thetransposition of parts, and the substitution of equivalent members,withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

Figure 1 is a top view of a fly trap made in accordance with theprinciples of my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom view. Fig. 3 is anelevation, the right one-half being shown in vertical center sectionalelevation, as indicated by the line 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. at is an enlargeddetail of one of the upper corners, being a section on the line 4 ofFig. 1.

Similar reference characters indicate like or corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

5 is the top plate made of sheet metal,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 17, 1911.

Patented Feb. 26, 1912. Serial No. 655,165.

and a downwardly projecting flange 7 around its outer edge.

8 is a wire cloth covering the opening, and secured preferably to theunder side of the plate by means of any suitable fasteners 9, 9.

10 is the bottom plate, also having a central opening 11, and adownwardly extending flange-12.

13 is a wire cloth placed around the two plates in cylindrical shape,the two plates forming the ends of the cylinder. It will be noted thatthe wire cloth is inside the flange of the top plate and outside theflange of the bottom plate.

1 1 is a wire netting, comprising vertical wires 15 and horizontal wires16, these wires being electrically welded together at their joints. Anumber of the vertical wires are extended and formed with loops 18 attheir upper ends, for the reception of the bolts 19, which passtherethrough, and also through the flange of the top plate, the wirecloth, and the rin 20; from which it will be understood that the wirecloth is clamped firmly between the ring and the flange, and all partsare secured together by means of the bolts.

An object in having the wire cloth on the inside of the upper flange isto present a neat appearance, and also to prevent the water fromaccumulating between the flange and the clamping ring and rusting thewire cloth. As shown, the wire netting extends down below the bottomplate so as to raise it up off the ground, and one of the horizontalwires is located at the extreme lower ends of the vertical wires. Thelower edge of the wire cloth is secured on the outside of the lowerflange and is clamped between the flange and the wire netting by meansof the bolts 21, 22, and washers 23, some of these bolts may be formedwith hooks on their outer ends to hold the vertical wires more firmly inplace.

24: is a wire cloth cone fitting in the opening in the bottom plate andhaving a small opening 25 at its upper end, which extends up into thetrap.

26, 26 are a number of plates secured at intervals to the lower edge ofthe cone, which is ragged by reason of cutting it into proper shape. Thelower edge-is mashed out flat against the under side of the bottomplate, as shown at 27, and the plates 26 are then secured against thebottom plate by means of the buttons 28 on bolts 29.

It will be noted that when the several parts are made up, it becomes aneasy matter to assemble the traps with only such simple tools as arealways available. Thus, the top and bottom plates may be made 'as shown,the wire cloth may be secured on the upper plate; the cone may be madeup with its plates 26, 26, and may be shipped in flat condition; thewire netting may be cut in proper length with suit-able loops; while thewire cloth of proper width may be packed and shipped in a single lengthfor one only of the traps, or in larger rolls for more traps. It may bewell to state that unless the trap can be so devised that it can beshipped in a knocked-down condition, it cannot be economically shippedany considerable distance.

The wire netting is preferably made of rather heavy wire, and of a meshsmall enough to protect the wire cloth from injury, as by dropping thetrap, or by kicking it to see the flies swarm. Furthermore, this nettingholds the trap rigid, and prevents sagging and twisting. Being large,strong, and durable, this trap is especially adapted for out-door use;as in the yard, in the street or alley or in the field.

To use it, a suitable bait should be placed under it to attract theflies, which then fly up into the cone and through the hole at its apexinto the interior of the trap, where they finally fall down onto thebottom plate. The trapped flies can be removed from time to time bymerely removing the cone by turning the buttons and pulling the coneout.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In combination, a top plate having a central opening and a downwardlyextending flange around its outer edge, a similar bottom plate, a wirecloth extending from plate to plate and over the lower flange and insidethe upper flange, a ring for clamping the wire cloth against the upperflange, a

wire cloth covering the upper central opening, a wire cloth cone fittingin the lower opening and extending up into the trap and having anopening at its apex and having its lower edge flared out against theunder side of the lower plate, a series of metal strips secured to saidflared edge, a series of but tons pivoted to the bottom plate forsecuring said strips, a wire netting comprising vertical and horizontalwires surrounding the plates and cloth and extending below the bottomplate with a horizontal wire at the extreme lower end the upper ends ofsome of the vertical wires terminating in loops, a series of bolts forsecuring said loops, clamping ring, wire cloth, and upper flangetoget-her, and a series of bolts for securing said netting, wire cloth,and lower flange together.

2. In combination, top and bottom circular plates, each having a centralopening and a downwardly flanged edge, a wire cloth extending from plateto plate and secured in side the upper flange and outside the lowerflange, a wire cloth covering the upper opening, a wire cloth cone inthe lower opening extending into the trap and having a hole at its apexand flared lower edge, a series of pivoted buttons for holding saidlower edge, and a wire netting surrounding the cloth and extending belowthe bottom plate.

3. In a fly trap of the kind described, the combination of a bottomplate having a central opening, a cone fitting in said opening andhaving its lower edge flared outwardly against the under side of saidplate, a series of separate metal pieces secured to the flared-out edge,and a series of buttons pivoted to the bottom plate for holding themetal pieces against said bottom.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

DAVID D. BOLICK. WVitnesses C. E. CARTER, D. B. EADEs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

